Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Has anyone tried to deal with RLS "old style"? Meaning quitting all medications (especially when augmenting on DAs). That would leave lifestyle adjustments, which for me would mean I guess sleeping 6:00 am to 2:00 pm when natural dopamine is highest. Is that a strategy, or still would leave one sleep-deprived?

If you are getting 8 hours good solid sleep that can only be good.
I can't see that you'd be sleep deprived.
I guess we all dealt with RLS 'old style' before we found the medication route. To go back to no RLS medications is a big step. It involves weaning off your current medications and not all at the same time. You will find your base RLS which may be better without meds. It may also be worse which could be just progression.

When you say stop all meds, do you mean just any RLS meds, or do you mean every med that you take (if you do take other meds) which you shouldn't do without seeing your doctor.

Can you got your lifestyle around a 6 -2 sleep pattern.
I'd be grabbing an 8 hours sleep with both arms.

There are a variety of physical treatments that have had some, but inconsistent, positive effects reported by members of this forum. Hot water, cold water, compression stockings, massage, vibrating machines, etc. Do a search or browse the Physical Treatments section of this forum. I think the Relaxis pad actually has FDA approval as a treatment for RLS, though the reports from forum members have not been terribly positive. Wow, I just checked the company, they have stopped making it because they never could get medicare to pay for it... Anyway, if you look around you will find members getting relief from a variety of physical treatments, though none seem to work for more than a small subset of RLS patients.

Regarding your sleep cycle, you might sleep from 6 AM to 2 PM at first, but your WED/RLS symptoms are tied to our internal circadian cycle, not to the sun's position in the sky. So, eventually, your symptoms would be strongest at 6AM. Your bedtime would keep migrating.

You would probably still have symptoms. They can be quite unpleasant. You would have to deal with that, by walking around and staying awake until they subsided.

I was determined for many years to do just what you're suggesting. I knew that my circadian night would migrate, so I never did it because I would be unable to work my job & unable to play team sports, etc. This year, with all the covid restrictions on sports and basically working from home anyway, it might be a good time to try it - - but I am frankly scared to rock the boat. I would rather try it when I'm all messed up!

I hope you actually do it! And come back to tell us about it!